Agostino da Piacenza

Agostino da Piacenza (1418-1492) was a merchant of Venice.

Biography
Agostino da Piacenza was a wealthy Venetian merchant who made his money through the spice and silk trades. In 1484, the Republic of Venice made a treaty with the Barbary States that opened up trade links with the Bey, but the republic also taxed trade in order to fund L'Arsenale as well as to defend their overseas empire. Piacenza was forced to give up a large portion of his profits to the republic's navy and army in their wars with the Ottoman Empire, but he remained rich until his 1492 death.